Voodoopad Windows: A Review of the Latest Version

In my opinion, version 5 of Voodoopad had a solid set of features. When opening the preferences side-by-side, I was pleased to find that the settings were almost identical. Upon comparing both apps with settings open side-by-side, there wasn't much difference. Considering the time Primate Labs has had and promised to develop VP, it's disappointing to see few real new features apart from an updated markdown set and UI upgrade.

One of the most notable changes in Voodoopad 6 is the deeper integration with iCloud, along with macOS and iOS synchronization, which will be available in future builds. This means that Voodoopad 6 should 'just work' with documents saved on iCloud Drive, similar to how Voodoopad 5 works with Dropbox.

However, it's worth noting that Voodoopad 6 is not yet complete. There are several features missing or changed in this latest version. For instance, the built-in web server is no longer included, and scripts are now treated as plain text pages. This means that any scripts contained in your Voodoopad documents will not be deleted but also will not be executed.

Another significant change is the removal of scripting support via JavaScript or AppleScript. Additionally, Voodoopad 6 no longer supports Dark Mode on macOS Mojave and later, which may be a disappointment for some users.

On a more positive note, Voodoopad 6 features re-worked ePub, PDF, and Web export options that are both simpler and more reliable. This allows users to backup their data in a way that does not use Voodoopad's file format. The new 'Export to Files' option saves each item in its native format to a directory.

The highlighter has also been improved, generating better typography for Markdown pages. Furthermore, the new parser provides faster and more robust support for Markdown markup. This means that users can expect improved performance and stability when working with Voodoopad 6.

Other changes include moving the most commonly-used palettes, such as Page Info and Page List, from the floating palette window into the main window. However, several palettes remain in the floating palette window.

While there are many small changes that should improve the performance and stability of Voodoopad 6, I'm left feeling underwhelmed by the lack of significant new features. After neglecting this product for several years, Primate Labs decided to strip it down to its shell, throw some markdown tweaks on it, and call it a 'new' version. 'Modernizing and simplifying' is code for 'we've removed some major functionality that some users might miss,' including the removal of support for scripts.

For those interested in trying out Voodoopad 6, there's a preview edition available on their support page. However, I would caution potential users to be aware of the limitations and changes before upgrading from previous versions.

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